Republicans

Iowa Starting Line reports: Three times in a row today, Sen. Joni Ernst dodged questions about whether it’s appropriate for a president to ask a foreign power to investigate a political rival. After a round of questions from a CNN reporter looking for a “yes” or “no” answer from Ernst, the senator walked away and talked with a few Iowans …

Axios reports: In an interview with Axios on Tuesday night, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) condemned President Trump in his harshest language yet for deciding to withdraw U.S. troops from northern Syria, suggesting Trump is violating his oath of office by allowing Turkey to move in and attack the Kurds. Driving the news: Graham said Trump is making the biggest mistake …

Because of course he does: Senator Rand Paul appeared on Fox News today to express support for the president’s move. Neil Cavuto said, “A lot of people in your own party — Lindsey Graham, Marco Rubio, Mitt Romney, Nikki Haley, and on and on and on — say this is a tragedy, it’s a bad move, it emboldens our enemies.” …

CBS News reports: A long list of Republicans — including several top allies of President Donald Trump — lined up in vehement opposition Monday to the president’s decision to withdraw U.S. forces from the northern border of Syria and allow a Turkish operation there. The announcement marked a major blow to the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF, which the …

Another faint crack in the dam. The Columbus Dispatch reports: While he still says impeachment is too extreme, Sen. Rob Portman readily acknowledged today that President Donald Trump should not have asked the Ukraine or China for help investigating former Vice President Joe Biden. The Ohio Republican also disputed Trump’s characterization of an ousted Ukrainian as an aggressive battler of …

The Washington Post reports: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell publicly rebuked President Trump’s plan to withdraw U.S. troops from northeast Syria, saying that a supermajority in the Senate disagreed with the president’s abrupt announcement. “I urge the President to exercise American leadership to keep together our multinational coalition to defeat ISIS and prevent significant conflict between our NATO ally Turkey …

Mediaite reports: One of President Donald Trump’s most reliable defenders in the Senate blasted him Monday morning over his “shortsighted and irresponsible” decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Northern Syria — paving the way for a Turkish military operation.  Appearing on Fox & Friends, a program which long been on a shortlist of the president’s favorites, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) …

Politico reports: Senate Rules Committee Chairman Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) on Sunday expressed skepticism President Trump was “serious” when he called for the Chinese government to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter. “I doubt the China comment was serious …the president loves to go out on the White House driveway, he loves to bait the press to see what …

NBC News reports: Wisconsin Republican Sen. Ron Johnson defended President Donald Trump’s recent calls for China and Ukraine to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden in a combative “Meet the Press” interview Sunday morning where he accused Democrats and the media of trying to sabotage the Trump administration. “Let me tell you why I’m pretty sympathetic with what President Trump …

ABC News reports: Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) on Sunday repeatedly refused to say whether he believed it was inappropriate for President Trump to call for Chinese authorities to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter. “You really think he was serious about thinking China’s going to investigate the Biden family? I think he’s getting the press all …

The Hill reports: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-Ky.) reelection campaign is seizing on the fight over impeachment, pledging in Facebook ads that he will lead Republican efforts to stop President Trump from being removed from office. “Nancy Pelosi’s in the clutches of a left wing mob. They finally convinced her to impeach the president. All of you know your …

CNBC reports: Republican Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah said Friday that President Donald Trump’s explanation for asking foreign countries investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son “strains credulity.” The rebuke from Romney, one of the only Republicans in Congress to criticize Trump’s calls for Ukraine and China to investigate his potential opponent in the 2020 election, follows Trump’s …

The Omaha World-Herald reports: Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., took issue Thursday with President Donald Trump urging China to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son’s business dealings there. “Hold up: Americans don’t look to Chinese commies for the truth,” Sasse said in a written statement to The World-Herald. “If the Biden kid broke laws by selling his name …

From the EventBrite invitation: Carl DeMaio for Congress- Help us flip the House Red again! Join Log Cabin Republicans New York chapter and other Empire state groups support Carl DeMaio in being the first openly Gay Republican elected to congress! Host committee: Ashton Theodore Randle, Charles Moran, Torrey Shearer, Thomas Weirich, Benjamin Franco, Andrew Agnello. To join the committee RSVP …

Politico reports: On Tuesday night, a very seasoned and well-known GOP operative sent us this stunning note, underscoring GOP alarm with how the Trump administration is handling impeachment: “GOP lawmakers and operatives are concerned at what appears to be a lack of urgency from the Trump administration in forming an organized, unified response engine to the Democratic impeachment threat. There …

The Charleston Post & Courier reports: Two Republicans, one of them former congressman Bob Inglis, have sued the S.C. Republican Party over its decision to cancel its GOP presidential primary next year. The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in state court in Richland County, alleges the party scrapped its 2020 election contest illegally and violated party rules and state election law. The …

Axios reports: The retirement of six House Republicans from Texas at the end of this term shows their pessimism about winning back the House majority in 2020, GOP strategists tell Axios — and foreshadows bigger Republican fears in the nation’s second most populous state. “We need a new Republican Party because the one we have is getting our asses kicked …

Courthouse News reports: California Representative Devin Nunes asked a federal court in Iowa Monday to award him $75 million in damages in a defamation and common law conspiracy suit against reporter Ryan Lizza and Hearst Magazines. The House Republican and ranking member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence claims in the suit that Lizza defamed him in a …

The Washington Post reports: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) received a letter of resignation from Republican Rep. Chris Collins on Monday, a senior Democratic aide said. The resignation will be effective when the letter is officially filed at a scheduled House session Tuesday. Collins, President Trump’s first congressional supporter, is expected to plead guilty to insider-trading charges on Tuesday, following …

It’s a bad day for Republicans and the law. NBC News reports: Stacey Dash was arrested in Florida on suspicion of domestic battery on Sunday night. The Clueless actress, former Fox News contributor and vehement Donald Trump supporter was arrested after she allegedly got into a verbal argument with an unidentified man who she pushed and slapped in the face, …